The Grumpy Grapplertag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-1133419341653337732017-03-31T06:34:14-04:00TypePadFeatured Grappler: Roberto "Cyborg" Abreutag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01901e204628970b01b7c8e7811f970b2017-03-31T06:34:14-04:002017-03-31T06:34:14-04:00I thought it might be nice to highlight specific grapplers from time to time. So, I am starting yet another series here at TGG--namely, Featured Grappler. First up, Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu--a true monster on the mats and a legend of the sport (see here for details concerning his storied career)....Thomas Nadelhoffer

I thought it might be nice to highlight specific grapplers from time to time. So, I am starting yet another series here at TGG--namely, Featured Grappler. First up, Roberto "Cyborg" Abreu--a true monster on the mats and a legend of the sport (see here for details concerning his storied career). Below, I have included a hodgepodge of vidoes--ranging from highlights and documentaries to instructional videos. In the months ahead, I will compile similar videos of other top grapplers. For now, enjoy the videos of Cyborg! As always, watch, learn, and go train!

Biceps Are for Crushing/Slicingtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01901e204628970b01b8d1fc6a94970c2016-06-24T00:00:35-04:002016-06-24T00:00:53-04:00In a follow up post, I will focus on videos that show the bicep crushes/slices from a wide variety of positions. But first, I thought I would cull some videos from the interwebs that contain some nice details on bicep crushes/slices. As you can see below, these techniques are available...Thomas Nadelhoffer

In a follow up post, I will focus on videos that show the bicep crushes/slices from a wide variety of positions. But first, I thought I would cull some videos from the interwebs that contain some nice details on bicep crushes/slices. As you can see below, these techniques are available from a number of positions as well. As always, the devil is in the details. So, watch, learn, and go train!

p.s. The videos are below the fold!

Bicep Slicer Compilation:

From Top Side Mount:

Bicep slicer from Arm bar (or Spider Web Position):

Bicep slicer from Closed Guard (Mattos was my professor for a year while I was living in Carlisle, PA!)

Bicep Slicer from Kimura Defense:

Bicep Slicer from Leg Lasso:

Bicep Slicer from Back Control:

Bicep Slicer from Spider Guard:

Bicep Slicer from Triple Threat/Scarf Hold:

*Bicep slicer when O tries to kill knee shield by going for the leg thread:

Devine Seminar Notes: Top Side Control and Kesa Getametag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01901e204628970b01bb08bb1038970d2016-02-16T09:41:30-05:002016-02-16T09:43:39-05:00Well, it's been a while since I've posted. I am presently 2.5 months post-op on the neck surgery. Things are coming along quicker and feeling better than expected--although I am just now getting back in the gym as a student/assistant of sorts. So, the jiu jitsu journey of the grumpy...Thomas Nadelhoffer

Well, it's been a while since I've posted. I am presently 2.5 months post-op on the neck surgery. Things are coming along quicker and feeling better than expected--although I am just now getting back in the gym as a student/assistant of sorts. So, the jiu jitsu journey of the grumpy grappler is finally back on track! That said, the instructors are covering side control this month as the featured position. As such, I thought now would be a good time to finally get back to typing up my seminar notes from the Devine seminar last fall during our grand opening. I already wrote up notes for the key lock as well as the kimura. Now I will write up my notes for some techniques from top side control and kesa getame:

Technique One:

Start in top side control (on O's right side).

O pushes your hip with his (usually bottom side) arm.

Allow your O to lock his arm straight.

Grab O's wrist with C-grip and pin it straight down to the mat.

Slide over O's arm with left leg--resting shin on forearm side of O's elbow.

Once trapped, lift O's head [alternatively, you can let go of head and lock your hands under O's trapped arm in between elbow and shoulder]

Technique Five:

Start in top side control (on O's right side).

Use your hip or front-side (left) leg to detach O's elbow from his side.

Your O rolls into you once you get a more secure side control.

Step over his head with front-side leg and scoop his head up.

Technique Six:

Start in top side control (on O's right side).

Use your hip or front-side (left) leg to detach O's elbow from his side.

Your O rolls into you once you get a more secure side control.

Cup his bottom (i.e., right) elbow.

Walk towards O's head, transition to North South, and then change sides.

Turn face to face with O and get ear-to-ear.

From here you have several arm bars--e.g., the talk on the phone crank (arm out, elbow down)

Well, that's it for this installation. It's been several months since the seminar, so I am shaky on several of the details. I will be sharing this with my instructors so they can help me fix the notes as need be. Hopefully, you find them useful.

Upside Down Crucifix +Triangletag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01901e204628970b01bb0876aaa4970d2015-09-23T06:50:58-04:002015-09-24T06:11:07-04:00Sorry things have been slow here at The Jiu Jitsu Journey. It's been the start of my semester and I am teaching two new classes. Plus, I had a keynote address to prepare for and a chapter to finish. Now that things have settled down a bit, I wanted to...Thomas Nadelhoffer

Sorry things have been slow here at The Jiu Jitsu Journey. It's been the start of my semester and I am teaching two new classes. Plus, I had a keynote address to prepare for and a chapter to finish. Now that things have settled down a bit, I wanted to post something about a technique I had forgotten about even though it is pretty simple and effective. I started thinking about it again after visiting Buffalo Jiu-Jitsu Academy (NY) while attending a recent conference. I had the pleasure of rolling with two really tough students at the gym--which is a good reason to train whenever you travel (but that is a topic for a later post!).

One of the students was a Russian immigrant who has been training for eight years or so. As a result, he was mat savvy. I suspect I outweighed him by forty or fifty pounds. So, I was surprised he was willing to let me pass his guard and take top side control--which is one of my favorite places to be. Whether I had my trailing arm hooked under his far side leg or not, he was amazingly adept at using his far side hand and his legs to get my trailing arm in an upside down crucifix. He would then make sure that my front side arm was trapped under his head (which is where I wanted it anyway!). Then, he would stuff my head between his legs to secure an upside down triangle. Sometimes he would get the choke and sometimes he would focus on my front side arm--which was susceptible to a straight arm lock, a shoulder lock, and a wrist lock.

It was clear he had spent a lot of time perfecting this position. It was also equally clear I hadn't spent nearly enough time trying to learn how to stay out of it and prevent it before getting stuck! Given that it's an offensive technique to be used from bottom side control, I returned home on a mission to add the technique to my arsenal. After showing the technique to several of my black belt instructors, they collectively agreed to work on it with me.

So, to supplement our training, I went lurking around the interwebs for some instructional that might prove useful as I continue my quest to get more effective at using the technique. As always, Youtube delivered! So, below you will find several people showing the technique (each with a focus on different details of the position). While most of these videos focus on finishing the upside down triangle (or the reverse inverted triangle, if you prefer), I think attacking your O's front side arm may be just as viable. That said, watch, learn, and go train!

p.s. The video below by Braulio actually shows the reverse triangle from open guard. But since it's really slick and seems relevant to the technique de jour, I included it!

Ralph Gracie: Interviews, Techniques, and Trainingtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01901e204628970b01b7c7c55a46970b2015-08-27T18:50:38-04:002015-08-27T18:51:25-04:00Among a family known for their hard-nosed toughness and occasional savagery, Ralph Gracie is recognized as one of the most tenacious members of the Gracie clan (see here and here for some details). Grandson of Carlos Gracie Sr., Son of Robson, and brother of Renzo, Ralph was born into jiu...Thomas Nadelhoffer

Among a family known for their hard-nosed toughness and occasional savagery, Ralph Gracie is recognized as one of the most tenacious members of the Gracie clan (see here and here for some details). Grandson of Carlos Gracie Sr., Son of Robson, and brother of Renzo, Ralph was born into jiu jitsu royalty. So, he has unsurprisingly been immersed in the culture of Gracie jiu jitsu since childhood. He is also known as one of the roughest of the bunch--a tenacity that earned him the nickname, The Pitbull. As such, I was surprised and disappointed that he didn't make the Gracie family tree in this recent extended article about the Gracies for Grantland.

This got me wanting to check out whatever interviews, videos, etc., that I could find of the legendary (and even infamous) Gracie--who once dismissed former student B.J. Penn as a "traitor mother fucker" and suggested that training Penn was like "training a snake," and that the best way to "kill a snake is to cut the head off." Granted, Penn was challenging Ralph's brother Renzo to a MMA fight, but those are strong words nonetheless!

In any event, below I have compiled several videos. The first is an interview with Ralph, the next nine are technique videos--which contain some really nice details concerning old school jiu jitsu--and the final video shows Ralph rolling (which gives you a taste for his effortless prowess on the mats). So, watch, learn, and go train!

The videos are below the fold!

13 Arm Bars from Closed Guard + 10 Sweepstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01901e204628970b01bb08666159970d2015-08-20T15:41:36-04:002015-08-20T15:41:36-04:00I stumbled across this very helpful video a while ago. I have been meaning to post it here on The Jiu Jitsu Journey but it keeps slipping my mind. As someone who is trying to work more carefully and diligently on both my closed guard and my arm bars, I...Thomas Nadelhoffer

I stumbled across this very helpful video a while ago. I have been meaning to post it here on The Jiu Jitsu Journey but it keeps slipping my mind. As someone who is trying to work more carefully and diligently on both my closed guard and my arm bars, I found this video illuminating (especially the set ups involving the lapel--which I had not seen before). Some of the arm bars that start with sweep set ups are also very nice. There are 13 in all (which is my lucky number). So, there are plenty of techniques to try. So, I hope to try working on some of these tomorrow with my coaches Jeff and Mike (who is an arm bar aficionado--indeed, here he is arm barring me just a few days ago!) Because I really liked this video (minus the music), as an added bonus I am including a second video which contains some nice sweeps as well. Not sure who these guys are, but they show some nice techniques (even though I wish some details were explained). That said, watch, learn, and go train!

What a Drag! (Part 2)tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01901e204628970b01b7c7b811fa970b2015-08-02T10:50:05-04:002015-08-02T10:50:05-04:00The other day I posted some videos showing several different versions, details, positional advances, and set ups for submissions from the incredibly versatile arm drag series. Because I found so much interesting and illuminating content (at least for me), I decided that the topic merited two posts. I suspect there...Thomas Nadelhoffer

The other day I posted some videos showing several different versions, details, positional advances, and set ups for submissions from the incredibly versatile arm drag series. Because I found so much interesting and illuminating content (at least for me), I decided that the topic merited two posts. I suspect there will be even more posts down the roads here at TJJJ about arm drags as well (especially as I start internalizing and using all of the details and variations contained in these first two posts). It's a critical skill to add to your stand up game as well as your bottom guard game (both open and closed guard). That said, here are some additional videos for your viewing pleasure and educational benefit. So, watch, learn, and go train!

Technique of the Week: Knee Shield (Day 2)tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a01901e204628970b01a73d751f6b970d2014-02-11T07:54:06-05:002014-02-14T08:16:26-05:00This week's focus here on TGG is going to be the knee shield--one of the safest open guard positions and one of the peskiest for would-be guard passers. For today's installment, I have two videos by multi-time world champion Robson Moura (see here and here). In the first video, he...Thomas Nadelhoffer

This week's focus here on TGG is going to be the knee shield--one of the safest open guard positions and one of the peskiest for would-be guard passers. For today's installment, I have two videos by multi-time world champion Robson Moura (see here and here). In the first video, he shows a nice sweep from what he calls the 93 guard (a knee shield variant). In the second video, he shows yet another sweep from the 93 guard--which includes a transition to arm bar. As always, Moura provides lots of invaluable little details. So, watch, learn, and go train!